OBJECTIVETo explore the role of dynamic monitoring the karyotype changes for evaluation of chemotherapy efficacy in patients with acute leukemia.

METHODSA total of 80 patients with acute leukemia were collected and according to FAB classification standards they were divided into 65 cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 15 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); R banding technique was used taken to detect their chromosome and to analyze the relationship between chromosome and efficacy of chemotherapy.

RESULTSOut of 65 cases of AML, 31 cases showed abnormal karyotypes and their aberration rate was 47.7%; among 31 cases of AML with chromosome abnormalities, the t (15; 17) was found in 9 cases and they accounted for 29%; t (8; 21) was found in 7 cases and they accounted for 22.6%; other karyotype and complex karyotypes were found in 15 cases and they accounted for 48.4%; the remission rate of t (15; 17) group was 88.9%, remission rate of t (8; 21) group was 71.4%, remission rate of other karyotype group was 66.7%. The comparison of between different groups showed that remission rate of t (15; 17) group was significantly higher than that in T (8; 21) group, other karyotype group and normal karyotype group (χ2=9.625,14.267,7.768, P<0.05); the remission rate between t (8; 21) group, other karyotype group and normal karyotype group was no significant different (χ2=0.517, 0.111, P>0.05). In 15 cases of ALL, 8 cases with normal karyotype accounted for 53.3%, 7 cases with abnormal karyotype accounted for 46.7% of ALL; as compared with AML, no significant difference was shown (χ2=0.020, P>0.05); the remission rates of patients with normal karyotype and abnormal karyotype were 87.5% and 42.9% respectively, the difference between the two groups had statistical significance (χ2=43.834, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONFor patients with AML, patients with t (15; 17) chromosomal abnormality can obtain better effect from chemotherapy, the clinical remission rate of ALL patients with normal karyotype is higher; the karyotype analysis has the important reference value for evaluating efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with leukemia.